Losing You
by supergirl3684
Summary: 3RD IN THE Danny/Mac SERIES...Danny’s afraid he’s losing Mac so he goes against the rules and end up in more trouble then he can manage. WARNING: involves spanking, don't like, don't read!
1. So it begans

**Losing You (series fic # 3)**

**SUMMARY:** Danny's afraid he's losing Mac so he goes against the rules and end up in more trouble then he can manage. He goes to Adam for help but in the end Mac finds out everything and Danny is forced to confess to Mac, "I was afraid I was losing you."

**DISCLAIMER:** Don't own CSI:NY or CBS nor anything affiliated with the two.

**A/N:** I hope you like this! When this fic is done the next fic will take place with this season's premiere!

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**PROLOGUE: **

Mac and Peyton walked into the crime scene together. Danny's eyes flashed confusion and then understanding. Mac took a deep breath and waited for Danny to explode.

"You and Peyton," Danny asked calmly, "Am I the last to find out?"

The hurt was clear in Danny's eyes. Mac fought the temptation to go up and hug him; to try and make it better. He knew that at times like that Danny wouldn't be ready to listen to him; instead he would wait until Danny had processed what he'd seen.

Later that night, when the two went home for supper, Danny was ready to talk. And talk they did. After they were done Danny told Mac that he was fine and that he was happy for him.

Danny of course was lying…and Mac could tell. Mac knew he could do nothing but wait for Danny to come to him once again. 'Please don't do anything you'll regret,' Mac silently pleaded. If only dreams came true…

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It had been a long, hard day for Danny Messer. The case he'd worked on with Stella had taken a bit of a toll. The case had been that of a girl, 21 years of age; a college graduate. She had been found in park; tear stains on her face…a gun by her feet. Seeking comfort Danny had gone to the one man he knew could always help him.

"Hey Mac," Danny said.

"Hey Danny; are you ready to go home?" Mac asked.

"When ever you are; are you busy tonight?" Danny asked softly.

Mac looked up, a distant look in his eyes. "Peyton wants to go see a movie."

Danny nodded his head; he could tell Mac wasn't really paying attention to him. It only took Danny a second to realize that going home was NOT what he wanted to do. "I forgot I had something to do. You can go home without me."

"I'll meet you there for supper." Mac replied.

The younger CSI nodded his head and headed out of the building where he hailed a cab. "NYU hospital," he told the man.

When the cab pulled up to the hospital he paid the driver the money and slowly made his way into the hospital lobby. He knew what room he wanted and headed straight for the elevators; as the doors opened he froze…standing in front of him where two Tanglewood boys.

The two were obviously talking about Sonny and seemed to take no notice in him. Danny hung back not wanting to be noticed. After the two men had left Danny rushed up to his brother's room. After making sure that his brother was ok he went and talked to the nurse on duty about limiting his brother's visitors.

With that done Danny sat at his brother's beside. "I'm sorry I haven't been around lately. Mac and I are getting along great. He took me to the movies after I was ungrounded last week." Danny frowned a little. "Did I tell you about that? I got mad and yelled at him to back off during a case. I slept on my stomach that night…I'm telling you Sonny; you need to wake up and meet the man. He's the greatest."

Danny sat back in his seat and held his brother's hands. He couldn't help but look over his shoulder ever now and then. Mac had asked that he not go to the hospital without him but after the day he had, he needed to see his brother. With another sigh, he started talking again.

"I know you'd kill me for coming without his permission but…I needed to see you. I had all these great plans for his birthday and that-that…_women_ had to go and ruin them! It's not fair Sonny. I know he took me to the movies but that's the only thing we've done in over two weeks…and not because I was grounded," Danny added as an after thought.

Danny and Sonny may not have gotten along all the time…ok, maybe ever, but Sonny had always been a force in his younger brother's life. Now he was in a permanent state of sleep. It was a hard thing for Danny to live with but he had Mac and that was enough.

'I have him for now anyways.' Danny thought sadly.

"I better get going Sonny; Mac will have my hide if I'm late." Danny looked around and seeing nobody quickly kissed his brother's forehead. He left the same he had come…quietly.

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"How was work?" Mac asked Danny.

"It was fine; Stel and I determined it to be a suicide"." Danny answered. He bit his lip before asking, "How late will you be out?"

"I'll try to be home by midnight." Mac replied. "Do you have any plans?"

Danny shook his head. Mac rose in eyebrow but said nothing. He could tell that the younger man was planning something but he didn't know what. 'Time will tell,' he thought wryly.

Dinner turned into a quiet affair and soon the two were done. After cleaning up, Mac changed and said good night. Danny smiled up at him as Mac kissed to top of his head before leaving. Danny waited a half hour before dashing to his room.

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A half hour later he was walking up the bar, McPhee's, dressed in baggy black jeans, a white tank, an opened button down black shirt, and a leather jacket; on his feet were a pair of plain white shoes, untied, and he'd exchanged his glasses for contacts. Taking a deep breath he opened the door, walked in, and sat at the bar.

"Give me a beer," Danny said, laying some money on the bar.

The bartender took the money and replaced it with the asked for beer. His eyes thinned a little as he looked closely at the younger man sitting in front of him. With a shake of his head he moved away; he didn't come back until the bar door opened again.

"You have to leave." The man whispered urgently.

"Why?" Danny asked his voice just as soft.

"They know who you are Daniel." The man answered causing Danny to pale.

Danny had guessed that the bartender would remember him but he hadn't counted on anyone else. He so very rarely made in appearance in the actual bar (usually sitting in the manager's office) that he hadn't expected anyone to know who he was.

He looked at the older man. "Don't draw attention to me; it'll be fine." His voice projected more confidence then he felt.

The bartender walked away and seemed to disappear from the bar for a few minutes. When he reappeared he walked over to Danny again.

"Son, I'm telling you leave now. They know who you are and they're just waiting for the right people to get here." The bartender warned.

Danny didn't need to be told again; he could feel the tension in the air. With a nod of thanks, Danny threw back the rest of his beer and headed for the door. He could hear the feet of the people following him. Danny nearly reached the alley when he was suddenly pushed to the ground.

He rolled over quickly, trying to escape the feet that had started to kick him. After a couple minutes he managed to get up and back away from his attackers. His hand automatically reached for his side; who ever had kicked him managed to get a couple good aims at his ribs and they were starting to hurt.

Danny realized he made a mistake when his back hit a wall. He managed to get a few of his own punches in but for the most part all he could do was cover his face; bruises on his face he wouldn't be able to explain.

Someone managed to punch him in the temple and Danny could feel his legs starting to give out. The punch had sent him reeling backwards and hit head hit the wall. He would have gone down, had he not been leaning against the wall. He was momentarily stunned and all he could do was try and block all the punches.

A glint in the dark caused Danny to throw his hands into the air, making an X with his arms. The knife bit down on his forearm and Danny barely managed to bite back the scream he felt coming up. Danny threw a punch but knew it was useless. He fully expected his attackers to finish what they started and was surprised when instead they drew away.

From the corner of his eyes he could see the blinking lights of a police car. He was happy to see he was about to be rescued when one name popped in his mind…Mac. Danny tensed; if he was caught they would call Mac. 'I'll never sit again,' he thought to himself in a panic.

The Tanglewood boy's who had attacked him started to run…Danny mimicked their actions. He was a block away when the pain finally forced him to stop. The only thing that kept him going was the thought of his attackers coming back to finish their job or the cops finding him.

When he was finally out of Tanglewood territory he managed to hail a taxi. He gave the driver the address of his own apartment. What he really wanted was Mac but if Mac saw him all hell would break loose and Danny wasn't feeling up to facing him. With tears running down his face he placed a call to Mac's apartment and asked to speak to the doorman with whom he was friends.

"David, its Danny; listen, I need you to give Mac a message for me. Tell him that some friends decided to come into the city and needed a place to crash so we're all at my apartment and that I may be a little late for work…thanks David."

Danny hung up the phone and allowed a couple sobs to escape. The adrenaline that had been with him when he walked into the bar had finally left him. His emotions were going haywire. Danny lay on his bed and cried; he cried for his parents, who he lost when he was young, for his brother, who would never wake up, for Mac, who he felt was leaving him, and for himself, he was in so much pain.

When at last the tears slowed he stood and went into the bathroom for a quick shower. When he done he took out his first aid kit and went to work patching himself up. He popped a couple aspirins since his ribs were stilling hurting. With all that done he lay back on his bed and went to sleep.

---------------------------_TBC…_--------------------------------

A/N2: Ok, for anyone wondering, I will post part 2 on Tuesday, part 3 on Thursday and if there's a part 4, on Saturday. I will post faster if I get the fic done:)


	2. Finding Out

Danny woke up the next morning feeling every bit as sore as when he went to sleep. He slowly disentangled himself from his blankets and headed for the shower. When he got out he felt a little better…four aspirins later and he was feeling almost normal. The almost was there because his ribs still hurt.

Danny could tell he was walking slower and stiffer then normal. He internally winced; he didn't want to bring any attention to himself. As he made his way into the CSI building he couldn't stop himself from looking over his shoulder; he was thankful when the elevator opened its doors and revealed an empty hallway. Not know what to do he headed straight for Adam's lab.

"Hey Adam, you got a minute?" Danny asked, not noticing that Adam was on the phone.

Adam beckoned for his friend to come in and sit down. With a smile he finished his call. "What can I help you with Danny?"

Danny carefully took off his jacket and showed Adam the marks on them. "I got into a bit of a fight last night. I can't let Mac know Adam; he'll kill me for sure."

Adam could hear the fear in his friend's voice. Adam's eyes searched Danny's, looking for something Danny didn't know. Adam's confusion at his thoughts was clear. Danny wanted to ask him what he was thinking but the pain in his ribs made him wince.

"What is it?" Adam asked as he rushed to CSI's side.

"I got kicked in the ribs; they don't feel great." Danny replied.

"Everyone's out right now; come on," Adam said, leading the way to the locker room where he re-bandaged Danny's cuts. "How do you feel?"

"I'm fine," Danny answered softly.

"Go and take the day off. I'll tell Mac some friends came to town and you wanted to show them around." The younger man informed Danny.

Danny laughed, "I used that excuse for not being home last night. Thanks man, I owe you."

The two shook hands and gave each other a one handed hug (what we girls often call the 'man hug') and parted ways. Danny was grateful that he didn't run into anyone from the office. He slowly made his way home. Once home Danny took some more aspirin and lay down and slept.

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Mac came back from his crime scene looking troubled.

"Everything ok Mac?" Flack asked concerned.

"Have you seen Danny?" Mac replied worried.

Flack shook his head, "Try asking Adam."

Mac nodded his thanks and made his way into the Adam's lab. Seeing the younger man was busy Mac sat down and waited. Adam seemed oblivious to the CSI's entrance until a few minutes later.

"Oh h-hey Mac," Adam stammered.

"Have you seen Danny?" Mac asked trying to keep his temper in check.

"N-No but he did call; he s-said that some friends had come into town and wanted to be shown around so he t-took the day off." Adam voice kept cracking as he stammered through his answer.

Mac's eyes narrowed; he could tell the younger man was lying. What ever Adam was hiding couldn't be good. Mac said nothing; his eyes speaking loudly for him. Adam started to fidget, his stomach in knots.

"If you talk to him again, tell him to call me." Mac said harshly. He left before Adam could reply.

Mac wanted to find Danny and demand to know what happened but he didn't. He wanted to trust that Danny would come to him when he was ready. The rest of the day went by slowly.

Mac went home and waited to see if Danny came back. As supper time rolled around Mac could feel his temper rise. Thankfully for Danny, he came walking into the house with just seconds to spare.

"Sorry I'm late. The guys wanted to go out for dinner but I told them I'd meet them afterwards." Danny spoke quickly, hating having to lie to Mac.

Mac didn't say anything as he served supper to himself and the younger man. Danny stopped his rambling and began to eat slowly. Supper was tense and Danny was grateful when it was over.

"I should hurry b…" Danny started.

"You'll do the dishes first." Mac interrupted.

Danny nodded in understanding, not wanting to make the older man mad. He walked slowly to the kitchen under Mac's watchful eyes. Mac could tell something was wrong but, again, he didn't say anything.

When he was done he turned and looked at Mac. "Can I go now?" He asked softly.

"Be home by one; no excuses." Mac replied.

Danny left and went to his apartment, not knowing what else to do. Finally at ten he managed to talk himself into going home and confess everything to Mac. Taking a deep breathe he walked into the house and called out for the older man...there was no answer.

Danny went to the phone and found a note.

_Danny,_

_Went out with Peyton; I'll be home late. Go to bed and be at work on time._

_Mac_

Danny had to fight back the tears. He climbed into bed and finally allowed himself to cry himself to sleep.

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Danny showed up at work on time the next morning, grateful that his ribs had dulled to a throb. He concentrated on getting himself to the locker room and then to Adam's lab. So intent was he on his mission that he failed to notice Sheldon Hawkes watching him. Hawkes immediately knew something was wrong. Not wanting to intrude but worried about the younger (by a year) man, he made is way to Mac's office.

"Hey Mac, got a minute?" Hawkes asked.

Mac nodded, "What can I do for you Hawkes?"

"I just wanted to remind you that you're due for a check up in a couple weeks. Danny's is still about a month away." Hawkes informed his boss. "How is Danny by the way?"

"Danny's, Danny; you know that. Should I set up a time to see you or are we just gonna play it by ear?" Mac asked of the doctor.

"We'll play it by ear." Hawkes answered as he headed out of the office.

Hawkes walked out of the office in time to see Danny and Adam heading back to the locker room arguing. Worried about Danny he decided the best way to get answers was to be direct.

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"You could have a broken rib Danny; go to Hawkes and get checked out." Adam pleaded.

"No, if I got to Hawkes he'll tell Mac and then Mac will kill me. It's that simple Adam." Danny retorted.

"How do you know that?" Hawkes asked from door causing the two younger men to jump. Adam looked weary while Danny looked scared. "Let me take a look at you."

"I'm fine…" Danny started.

"You're not fine," Hawkes interrupted. "You can barely stand straight and I just heard the words 'broken rib'. Talk to me man; I can't help if you don't tell me."

Danny said nothing as he glared first at Adam and then at Hawkes. Hawkes took a few steps closer and could see the white gauze peaking out of Danny's jacket sleeve.

"What did you do?" He asked as his eyes narrowed.

"Leave it alone Hawkes." Danny demanded as he pushed his way pass the doctor turned ME turned CSI.

It was Danny's unfortunate luck that Flack chose then to walk in.

"Stella and Mac are…" Flacks voice trailed off. "What the heck is going on in here?"

Danny froze in his spot knowing that if Flack found out about what had happened, he'd tell Mac. Adam seemed to melt into the background, not wanting any of Flack's noticeable anger on him. Hawkes straightened up, glad for the reinforcement.

"I was trying to figure that out myself." Hawkes answered despite the pleading glances Danny was giving him. He made his way to stand in front of his co-worker. "How about it Danny, are you going to let me look you over?"

"No and you know exactly where you can go!" Danny yelled as he once again pushed past Hawkes.

Flack stopped him by grabbing his arm. "Let's see if Mac can't help you change your mind." He started to drag Danny out of the room but Danny started to fight him.

"Leave me alone Flack!" Danny protested as he struggled to get loose from the detectives grip.

Flack finally did what no one expected. _**SWAT, SWAT, SWAT, SWAT**_

Danny yelped, Hawkes raised an eyebrow, and Adam paled.


	3. Thought What?

**A/N**: I forgot to say last posting that I made a mistake! Danny's brother's name is Louie NOT Sonny! I forgot to change it before I posted...sorry!!

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_Flack finally did what no one expected. __**SWAT, SWAT, SWAT, SWAT**_

_Danny yelped, Hawkes raised an eyebrow, and Adam paled. _

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Danny looked up at Flack his eyes accusing the other man of betrayal. Flack glared at him before turning to answer Hawkes raised eyebrow.

"It's nothing short of what Mac's gonna do later." Flack informed the new CSI.

Danny said nothing but he did allow Flack to lead him out of the locker room. He started to turn his pleading eyes to Adam but stopped when he noticed Adam looked ready to pass out. He didn't have a chance to say anything before he heard Mac's voice.

"What's going on?" Mac asked, his eyes traveling from one face to the next.

Flack kept his grip on Danny while he motioned for Hawkes to speak first.

"Well, normally I'd preach about Doctor / Patient confidentiality but since I never actually checked him over," Hawkes paused to give Danny a look. "I guess it doesn't apply right now." Hawkes finally looked away from Danny to look at his boss. "I noticed something was up with Danny and went to ask him about it. When I walked in I heard Adam trying to talk him into seeking some medical attentions; it seems Adam was afraid Danny may have broken a rib."

Hawkes held Mac's gaze for a few seconds before breaking it and turning to Flack. He motioned for the detective to take over in the telling of their tale.

"I walked in as Danny was pushing Hawkes aside. I made my presence known and Hawkes stood in front of Danny once again," Flack started now holding the older man's gaze. "He spoke to Danny again only this time Danny shouted at him that no, he wasn't going to be checked over and that Hawkes knew exactly where he could go."

Flack stopped talking, wanting to give Mac a moment to process what he'd been told. He and Hawkes watched a bit nervously as Mac's eyes swept over them and settled on the man still held captive by Flack. Danny swallowed nervously and tried his hardest to hide behind that man holding him. Mac started to take a step towards him but stopped.

"Is there more?" He demanded to know.

Flack nodded, "After he told Hawkes what he did, he again pushed the doc out of the way. I…I swatted him four times."

Though he knew better, Danny was still hoping for Mac to explode at what the detective had just stated. Mac seemed to be thinking about things. Flack stood up straight, confident that swatting Danny had been the right thing to do. Suddenly Mac gave him a brief grin.

"Thank you for showing restraint Don; I'll have to try my hand at showing the same amount of restraint…another day." Mac's eyes blazed with anger.

Danny couldn't look at the older man anymore. Disappointment radiated off of Mac and now Danny was feeling ashamed. 'What did I do' he asked himself.

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Mac didn't say anything as he took hold of Danny's arm and beckoned for the rest to follow them. He lead the group to a back interrogation room; one that was barely, if ever, used.

"Dr. Hawkes, if you will," Mac motioned towards Danny.

Hawkes had grabbed his bag from his locker as Flack had been dragging his friend out the door, now he helped Danny sit on top the table and began to look him over.

"It's easier if you tell me what happened, so I know what to check Danny," he informed the younger man.

Danny bit his lip, not sure he really wanted to tell the story but a stern look from Mac, made him change his mind. Knowing he'd have to tell the story from the beginning at some point, and not knowing if he could repeat the part about the fight, Danny started at the beginning and left nothing out.

Hawkes' mouth formed a thin line as he checked Danny's head, ribs, and arm. Nobody said a word once Danny was done talking; each lost in their own thoughts; Hawkes not knowing what to say; sad that Danny didn't trust him, Flack lost in his thoughts about what his friend had gone through, Adam wondering if he'd done the right thing by not telling Mac, and Mac, scared that he came so close to yet again losing the man he considered his son.

Hawkes instructed Danny to put his shirt back on and turned to Mac.

"He's got a small knot on the back of his head, his arm doesn't require stitches but I'd have him stay out of the field for at least a week, and his ribs aren't broken. They're a little bruised by the sound of things but he'll be ok." Hawkes turned back to the table and began to clean up his stuff. "Try to keep his upper body supported on something…"

Danny started to blush when he realized that Hawkes was talking to Mac about spanking him without ever saying the word. His gaze turned to Flack who was listening to the doctor and then to Adam. Danny's eyebrow's burrowed; he could tell something was wrong with his friend but didn't know what. Danny did his best to try to decipher what his friend was thinking rather then listen to the conversation going on around him.

When he was done, Hawkes grabbed his patience chin in his hand, forcing Danny to look at him. "If you're hurt and you come to me, I can NOT by law, tell anyone about it. I can help you and try to guide you to do what's right, but nothing more. I told Mac what I knew because I knew you were hurt and I needed to know how badly. Mac trusts me enough to let me not only be his doctor but yours as well. If you feel you can't trust me then tell me now so we can find you someone else; otherwise, don't lie to me again; got it?"

"I got it doc," Danny answered softly.

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Hawkes left the room leaving Danny alone with Mac, Flack, and Adam. Danny glanced at Adam once again and was surprised to see fear in his eyes. 'What the hell does he have to be afraid of'? Danny wondered to himself. Seeing movement from the corner of his eye caused him to jump. Mac was standing directly beside him.

"Go stand in the corner until I call you." Mac said harshly.

Danny all but ran to the corner, not wanting to further anger the older man. With Danny in the corner Mac sat down on the table, trying to calm down. Flack spoke in a calm tone understanding what Mac was feeling. They were both surprised when Adam suddenly shot forward, placing himself halfway between them and Danny, and began to protest…loudly.

"You can't do this to him! It was a mistake; nothing more! He's not even your son! How DARE you treat him like he's nothing!" Adam stopped and took a deep breath. "I won't a-allow it to happen again! You can beat me all you want but I won't allow you to hurt Danny any more!" Adam stood, fists clenched, and breathing hard.

A sickening silence fell in the room as Adam's words sank in to all involved. Mac had visibly paled, Danny had started to shake, and Flack looked like a fish out of water. No one spoke for several minutes. Danny debated whether or not to turn around and didn't want to risk getting in more trouble but he knew exactly what Mac was thinking. With that in his mind, he turned, walked out of the corner, and walked to Adam.

"Don't be mad at him Mac; he has the wrong idea. I'm sorry, I should have known." Danny added softly.

Mac held out a hand to Danny, who took it and held on as if his life depended on it. Mac draped an arm around Danny's shoulder and faced Adam.

"I think, you have the wrong idea. Personally, I am offended that you think so little of me. I have never and would never beat Danny. You can ask him yourself." Mac's voice conveyed the hurt he was feeling and for the first time Adam was wondering if he'd make a mistake.

"Danny…" Adam started but couldn't continue. Danny managed to let Mac go and walked over to the lab tech.

"Mac has never raised a hand to me…at least not in the sense that you mean." Danny blushed. "He would never do that…I-I can't explain it to you Adam and I hope you trust me enough that I don't have to."

"This is the second time you've come to work with bruises Danny! The first time I saw Flack and Stella trying to keep you away from him!" Adam frowned at his friend.

"They weren't keeping us apart you dumb son…" Danny allowed his voice to trail off not wanting to add swearing to his list of charges. "I couldn't sit down so they were giving me jobs that would allow me to stand or move around."

Adam raised an eyebrow, "Why couldn't you sit?"

Danny started to blush and stammer. Taking pity on him, Mac answered, "I spanked him. He called Stella a name that should never have been said, he disobeyed orders, and when I told him to go home and stand in the corner, he went out, got drunk, and got into a fight. _That_ is how he got the bruises."

Seeing Adam's expression Flack chuckled to himself, 'his eyes get any wider they're gonna fall out.'

Danny finished, "I told you how I got the bruises this time; I wasn't lying to you Adam. Yes, I was afraid of Mac's response. I don't care how old a person is getting sp-punished isn't fun."

Adam looked down at the floor suddenly ashamed of himself. He believed what he had been told and felt foolish for thinking that Mac would harm Danny. He still wasn't sure what to think of the spanking thing though.

Mac could see the internal argument raging in the younger man. He knew that Adam needed the comfort of knowing that Danny was going to be okay yet he also knew that Danny needed comfort also. He did what he would do every time…he went to Danny.

"Are you ok son?" Mac asked as he held Danny in a hug. Danny shrugged his shoulders; silent tears running down his face. "I know what Adam said is…upsetting but at least you have a friend who is willing to stand up for you. You can't ask for much more then that right?"

"I know; I'm sorry Mac." Danny's words were a bit muffled as his face was buried in Mac's chest.

"I know you are Danny. Alright, I want you to go stand in the corner until I tell you, you can come out." Mac ordered gently.

Danny nodded his head and did as he was told. Standing in the corner he couldn't help but once again feel deserted. Mac seemed to know this and he went and laid a hand on Danny's shoulder and stood with him for a few minutes before beckoning to Flack to come and take his place.

"Stay with him until I come back; I want to talk with Adam."


	4. The Outcome

"_Stay with him until I come back; I want to talk with Adam." _

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Mac led the way out of the room and into the observation booth. Mac stared at the glass watching as Flack offered words of comfort to the one in the corner. He stood against the wall, forcing Adam to stand with his back to the glass.

"I'm glad you're looking out for Danny. I even understand why you lied to me but let me make it clear that it had better never happen again. You two want to act like children? Fine, I'll treat you like one." Mac paused and stared at Adam. "You two may not talk to one another, unless its work related, for two weeks. When it comes to work you will have a witness present. Do you understand?"

Adam nodded, not sure what to say. Standing there, he felt all of twelve again. It reminded him of the one time he and a friend were tossing a football in the house and broke lamp. His friend's mom had told him that next time she'd call his father as for this time he was grounded from their house for a week. It had been a long week but he'd never made the same mistake again.

Mac's stare turned to a glare as he added firmly, "If I ever find out that you lied to me about one of my CSI's again, I will fire you on the spot. I understand that you thought you were protecting Danny but there are three, no four, other people you could have gone to instead of me. Do you understand?"

Adam paled at the threat, "Yes." Mac nodded his head and looked away from Adam and back at Danny. He knew it was time for him to go in and deal with his wayward 'son.'

"You can stay in here if you'd like just don't interfere." Mac said as he walked out of the room leaving Adam alone in the observation booth.

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Mac entered the interrogation room once again and nodded his head at Flack dismissing him. "I'll wait outside," Flack whispered as he walked out the door.

Mac sat on the table and braced himself for what was to come. He had originally warned Danny he'd use a brush if he put himself in danger again but Mac couldn't bring himself to do it; especially with the amount of stress both Danny and Adam were feeling. Not sure what else to do Mac decided to use his hand but with more force then normal.

"Come over here Danny." Mac ordered gently.

Danny walked over to him, tear marks on his face. Mac gave him a quick hug before pushing him away and giving him a stern look.

"I know what you did; I'd like to know why." Mac said firmly.

"I-I was jealous. You…didn't pay attention to me." Danny's voice was sad.

"When," Mac asked.

"Before I visited Louie, I went talk to you but you were going out with Peyton and…" Danny's voice trailed off.

"Danny, I wasn't thinking of Peyton. I was finishing filling out evaluations. Why didn't you talk to me?" Mac asked dumbfounded.

"I didn't want you to think I was a baby." Danny replied.

"I wouldn't have thought you were a baby. I would have talked with you and if I had to I would've canceled my plans with Peyton." Mac informed the younger man.

"I'm sorry." Danny said softly.

"So am I," Mac nodded. "Are you ready?"

Danny nodded, too scared to talk. Mac nodded back.

"Pants down," Mac informed the startled boy in front of him. Danny looked ready to protest but didn't. He turned his head and looked at the glass; he knew, without being told, that Adam was behind it.

With only a slight blush, he pushed his jeans down to his knees and allowed Mac to pull him down over his lap. Mac positioned him so that his upper torso was resting on the table and his feet were a few inches off the floor.

Worried about Danny's comfort, Mac took off his suit jacket and helped Danny place it under his ribs. Danny laid his head against the table as Mac brought his boxers to meet his jean. Mac took a deep breathe and started spanking the up turned bare bottom before him.

**SWAT, SWAT** "You know better," **SWAT, SWAT** "then to lie to me." **SWAT, SWAT** "You know better," **SWAT, SWAT** "then to go to the hospital," **SWAT, SWAT** "with out my permission," **SWAT, SWAT** "or go by yourself." **SWAT, SWAT** "I _know_, you know better," **SWAT, SWAT** "then to go to a _bar_" **SWAT, SWAT** "in _Tanglewood_ territory!" **SWAT, SWAT**

Danny had gasped at the force Mac had placed in his swats and soon started crying. He was trying his best not to put up too much of a fuss.

Adam stared from behind the two way glass as Mac started to spank his friend. He saw Danny jumped as the swats started to fall and could feel himself starting to tear up. He wanted to rush in and yell at Mac to stop.

Mac kept spanking Danny though he had stopped talking. By now, Danny was sobbing openly and his feet were started to kick. Mac bit back a smile at the child like act. He knew it was time to finish up so he dropped one knee and raised the other.

**SWAT, SWAT** "I don't," **SWAT, SWAT** "want to have" **SWAT, SWAT** "this conversation again." **SWAT, SWAT** "Do you understand?" **SWAT, SWAT**

"OW! Y-yes…p-please s-stop…AH…" Danny couldn't stop himself from wriggling and kicking his feet any longer.

Hearing Danny crying out in pain, Adam opened the observation booth's door. He was fully intent on interrupting the spanking but was stopped by Flack.

"You have to trust Mac. He won't hurt Danny." Flack led Adam back into the booth and put a comforting arm around him. "Breathe before you pass out Adam."

Adam concentrated on breathing while trying to block Danny's please out of his mind.

**SWAT, SWAT** "OW! Mac…" **SWAT, SWAT** "I-I'm sorry!" **SWAT, SWAT** "P-please…AH!" **SWAT, SWAT** "OW…I…AH…p-please…OW!" **SWAT, SWAT** "AHH!"

Mac brought the spanking to a finish and quickly, yet gently, brought Danny's clothes back up to cover him. He didn't hesitate to pull Danny up and sit him on his lap. It had been the harshest spanking he'd ever given the younger man and his own heart ached.

He began to rock back and forth. "It's ok Danny; it's all over. I've got you. Shh…come one son, breathe slowly…that's it."

Danny clung to Mac tightly. "I'm sorry…I'm so, so sorry."

"It's ok baby boy. You paid the price; it's ok…we're ok." Mac soothed.

Adam watched with tear filled eyes as Mac held on to his friend. In the moment Adam knew that Danny was loved by their boss the way a father would a son. It was in that moment that he finally understood.

He walked out of the room and gently opened the interrogation room door. Mac looked up at him and their eyes met. Neither said a word. Adam nodded his thanks…thanks for Mac taking care of Danny…he gave a smile of understanding. Mac gave him a small smile before turning his attention back to Danny.

Mac held Danny in his arms long after Adam had nodded at him. When Danny had finally calmed down the two left the room. Flack had noticed the door opening and hurried down the hall and back upstairs as to not embarrass his friend any more then he had that day.

Mac kept his arm around Danny's shoulders as the two made their way back upstairs to the lab. They found Flack waiting outside Mac's office. When they got to him Mac nudged Danny.

"I'm sorry for how I acted earlier." Danny mumbled.

Flack smiled, "Not a problem man."

Mac and Flack talked while Danny leaned into Mac's embrace. Meanwhile Stella, who had heard the whole story from Hawkes, was on phone. "You should come up now. They're outside of Mac's office."

--------------------------------------------------

Peyton exited the elevator and saw her boyfriend and his 'son' standing and talking to Flack. She smiled as she handed out coffees to Flack and Mac; with a wink she handed Danny a cup which he discovered to be apple juice. He gave her his famous smile.

She put her arm around his waist and smiled up at Mac when Danny leaned into her. Mac smiled back and then looked down at Danny; his head was still on Mac's shoulder but his body was resting comfortably against Peyton.

Peyton looked up at Mac, "Can I talk to Danny alone?"

Mac nodded and the two made their way into Mac's office. Peyton stood in front of Danny and lifted his chin with her hand.

"Are you alright?" She asked her voice filled with concern.

Danny nodded and blushed. He hated the thought of Peyton knowing he'd been spanked but he knew he could do nothing about it.

"I heard that you wouldn't explain to Mac what was wrong. I have a feeling it had to do with me…" Peyton's voice trailed off.

Danny looked down, feeling ashamed. "I was mad cuz I had planned on getting the jazz tickets for me and Mac. I heard that you got them and…" Danny looked at Peyton, fresh tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Danny, don't be sorry. I'm sorry baby; I should have talked to you. I had planned on it actually; I wanted to see if you'd like to halves on the tickets."

Danny blushed as he shook his head, "That's ok."

"I'm not asking out of pity. It was my intention all along; I promise you. The offer is still good, you know." Peyton teased gently.

"You're not mad?" Danny asked unsure of himself. Peyton shook her head. "I'd love to then."

"Good, now let's go back outside, I need to speak to your dad." Peyton held the door open for Danny and then motioned for Mac to come into the office.

Mac and Peyton talked for over twenty minutes before she opened the door and called Danny into the office to join them.

"I talked with your dad and we've come to an agreement. Because there were 'extenuating' circumstances you'll only be grounded for two weeks. During that two weeks Lindsay may come over once but she is to leave the apartment by eight." Peyton paused to take a breath. "You will be in bed by 10. No extra shifts at work and you may only leave the apartment if either your dad or myself is present. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Danny answered, unable to stop himself from grinning. He knew that Peyton had talked Mac into altering a few of the standard being grounded rules. He gave Peyton and then Mac a hug.

Mac took the day off be with Danny. He knew that Danny wouldn't be up for much so he took the younger man home and put him to bed. To Danny's surprise, and delight, Mac lay down beside him and the two took a nap. They spent the day watching movies and snacking. Later that night the two fell asleep in the living room; Mac on the sofa and Danny, on his stomach, on the floor.

**EPILOGUE: **

Mac was surprised to find the Jazz concert tickets for his from Peyton and Danny; ever since they'd talked, Peyton and Danny, had gotten along great. To further surprise Mac, the rest of the team had gotten him a new guitar. Mac was happy to see the two people he loved getting along.

After the concert (and dinner) the trio went home to watch a movie. Danny fell asleep sitting between his dad and Peyton. Mac smiled down at him. 'I hope you don't doing anything foolish anytime soon,' Mac the wryly. As if reading his thoughts Peyton said softly, "Only time will tell." The two laughed and finished watching the movie.

**THE END**


End file.
